Inspiration board by Green Wedding Shoes: Click here for credits!
This week I know we’ve overwhelmed you with tons of idyllic honeymoon locations, but I’m sure many of you may be thinking: “Thanks for nothing…I can’t afford any of this!” So I called on Katie to give us a few more tips about how to get the most out of your honeymoon dollars. In addition to her awesome list, we also wanted to make sure we featured some U.S. honeymoon destination that are just as amazing as their counterparts abroad. That’s coming up later today, but I wanted to start your morning off with some of Katie’s travel tips that I hope you’ll find extremely helpful.
The images I’m featuring are from the unbelievably fabulous Jen at Green Wedding Shoes. You’ve likely seen these inspiration boards because if you’re like me, you’re an avid reader of her blog. I thought they went beautifully with this post, but be sure to check out her original post here, which includes more info and all image credits!
EVER AFTER HONEYMOON BUDGET TIPS
traveling smart
-Register for your honeymoon. Couples always tell me how shocked they were by the amount of money they received from their honeymoon registries. Contributing to a honeymoon is much more fun than buying a couple some kitchen appliances!
-Don’t go too far from home. If you have a limited budget don’t spend a huge portion of it on expensive flights. Spend it on a great hotel, a spa, dinners, experiences, or whatever else is really important to you.
-Figure out what is a priority for your wedding. See if you can spend less on other aspects of your wedding in order to have more of your budget go towards your honeymoon.
-Go in “shoulder” season- just traveling a month or two before or after the peak season can save a lot of money. It can also be a better time to travel. For example the summer is peak season for Europe, but Spring and Fall has better weather, cheaper rates and less crowds.
Inspiration board by Green Wedding Shoes: Click here for credits!
-Plan ahead of time. Flights are usually less expensive in advance, and many hotels will offer discounted Advance Purchase specials. Most honeymoons I plan just require a deposit when you book, and the balance is due closer to your departure date, so you don’t have to come up with the total amount at once.
-Get an airline credit card that provides a lot of bonus miles for signing up. If you are close to the number of miles you need you can buy the extra miles, which is still cheaper than the flight would cost.
-If you can’t afford your dream honeymoon right after your wedding, just go on a short local trip, and then save up to take your dream honeymoon on your 1 year anniversary
-If you are trying to stick with a set budget, go for an all inclusive hotel. This way you will know ahead of time exactly what you will spend on food and drinks.
Inspiration board by Green Wedding Shoes: Click here for credits!
-Go for less time. Do a shorter honeymoon, and then relax at home for a few days before heading back to work.
-Don’t leave on the Sunday after your wedding. Sundays and Fridays are the most expensive days to fly. Just waiting until Monday can save you money.
-Work with a professional like myself. I can find you the best options within your budget. It doesn’t cost you anything, and I shop around for the best rates so you don’t have to. I also have access to special rates, and get my clients special deals only available to an agent like myself.
What are you doing to save for your honeymoon?